The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1887-01-19
COL. ELLIOTT AND Bon s,IALLs.
Some Interesting Facts About the Con
gressional Contest in the Black District
How Smalls Was Beaten.

Some Interesting Facts About the Con
grcssionaI Contest in the Black District.
How Smails Was Beaten.
(stanhope Sans in the Augusta Chrn;c'e)
a few days ago ] had the pleasure O
meeting james Singleton, ono of tn
colored members from Berkeley count
in the Legislature of 1SS2-and an in
tcrcSting and powerful factor in the re
cent contest in tho Seventh district be
t" zen Col. William Elliott and Robar
Smalls. That fierce political race i
fresh in tho recollection of all, and i
will be remembered that Colonel Elliot
entered the field against his cXprcsse,
inclination, and yielded his pleasure ant
! judgment to the wishes of his party
The Seventh district had been IL Rcpub
llcan stronghold since the days OF Fed
eral occupation, and in 1882 had sent ,
Republican, +. w. NJ. Mackcy, to Con
| grcss by an overwhelming minority
Mackoy died i'll 1883, aud Robert Small.
u colOrcd Republican, was elected to fill
the uncXpircd term. In 1881 Smalls wa.
returned to Congress- defeating Colone
VIM. Elliott, the nominee of the Demo
Gratis. In this election the Republican
majority had been considerably dimin.
lshcd, but not enough to afford any hope
for the Democrats in the next election.
1t wa, under such adverse circum-
stance, and in the teeth Of despair, that
Coionri Elliott was rendered the Demo
cratic nomination IN 1856. He had no
desire fora second sacrifice, but yielded
to the solicitation Of his party, who be-
licvcd HIM tho only man in the district
that could lead the ''forlorn hope" His
victory is well known, and to that victo-
ry no one contributed more than james
Singleton, of St. Stephens parish,
berkeley county.
Singleton favored me with n short
sketch Of his own political career. He
received no further education than n
brief course mt country school, and
what he has achieved has been dne TO
their force Of character, aided OF conrso,
by the peculiar power held by The Re-
publicnn party in his county. In 1850 50
he represented Berkeley count in the
State Legislature. His collcaci,cs were
Anderson Singleton, w. w. Beckett. C.
y. i;aycncl and w. G. Pinckncy all col
orcd men.
1t was i'll this Legislature that Pinck-
ncy made himself famous by voting for
himself rs United States Senator. When
his name was reached, in course Of the
election, he called out, 81 vote for vii
liam G.. Pinckncy." rinckncvs vote
was the only one cast for himself, and
Gen. NJ. G. Butler was elected.
Since 1883 Singleton has not been in
politics himself, though at every election
he has worked for his party, cXccpt in
the election in 1856, when ne ioincd
forces with the Democrats and insured
the election of Colonel Elliott. He is
still without the aroma, but the bee has
not entirely ceased to buzz in his bon.
net. There is no certainty OF lis con
tlnucd allegiance to the Democrats, as
ms detection was rather because of the
"hossism' OF SmalIS than from any con.
version to Democratic principles There
IS no doubt, however, that his alliance
won the victory of 'SG, and the party
owes him its gratitude and part in its
trlnmlhS
Alter meeting Singleton ! inquired
lnto ms work tor the Democrats last
year. What nc helped to accomplish
may be appreciated by noting the change
IN the votes OF Berkeley, and especially
IN st. stephen S Parish. where Singleton
dld hls best work. In 1852 this Parish
gave Mnckcy about 100 votes against IS
Tor T., sam Lee. In 1881 Smulls re-
celved III the same Parish ii large major
n.y. over Colonel Elliott. In 1856, Colo
mel Elliott received lOl votes in the
same l,mrsh against - for Smalls; thus
more than reversing the Rcpublican ma
Iorty OF iSS2 and 1851
1T "ls been claimed that this enormous
majority was obtained through fraud
VIII not now discuss this charge, but
certainly there was widespread detection
IN the ranks OF the Republicans in the
seventh hlstrct. The strength of that
party, Indecd the life of the party, and
'hr party itself, was iii the colorcd